Gas-engine.



Patented Sept. "ll, I900.

H. SMITH. GAS- ENGINE.

(Application filed May Il L899.)

(No llpdel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IINSDALE SMITH, OF. SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

eAs-Euems.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,576. dated September 11, 1900. Application filed May 11, 1899. Serial No. 716,336. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HINSDALE SMITH, a citi zen of the United States of America, and aends of both cylinders being connected by a:

common comparatively large bow shaped conduit which constitutes a continuation of the explosion-chambers of both cylinders and permits simultaneously the action of the exploded gas oppositely inwardly on both pistons. In the engineof the aforesaid type as heretofore proposed so far as known to me a common valve-chest has been provided in connection with the conduit extensions forming part of the explosion-chambers for both the cylinders, in which valve-chest were provided both an inlet-valve for supplying gas into the engine for both the cylinders and an 7 exhaust-valve, and. in the operation of such engine after the gas has been entered into the valvechest and conduit extensions leading therefrom into both cylinders and exploded therein, because the then oppositelymoving pistons (which force the dead gas outwardly from the ends of the cylinders and toward the valve-chest and to some extent through the exhaust-valve in thevalve-chest) are incapable of expellingall of the dead gas,

a certain proportion of the latter remains in or near the valve-chest or in each conduit at 5 opposite sides thereof and between such chest and the cylinders with which they are connected, and so therefore upon the ad mission through the same valve-chest of fresh gas to be drawn by suction created by the approaching pistons in the opposite cylinders such fresh gas encounters the residue of dead gas from the preceding explosion and necessarily becomes commingled therewith, whereby of course the efficiency of the engine is lessened.

The object of the present invention is to construct a gas-engine with the axially-coin- Qcident oppositely-arranged cylinders each having a piston therein operating upon a common i'ntermediately-disposed erank-shaf t, the outer ends of both cylinders being connected by a common bow-shaped conduit in which there is an exhaust-valve, and with separate gas admission or inlet valves for each of the cylinders all in such manner that as the pistons outwardly recede oppositely from each other upon the explosion of the gas the pistons drive the dead gas beyond the admission-valves into the common bow-shaped connecting-conduit for exit as to a large proportion thereof through the exhaust-valve arranged in said bow-shaped conduit, and such spent gas as driven by the pistons, as aforesaid, beyond the points of admission of the fresh gas insure that upon the next enjtrance of fresh gas the same will not be commingled with the spent gas, and all as will [and arrangement of the parts and appliances in the engine of the aforesaid type all substantially as will hereinafter fully appear, and be set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which my presentimprovements are indicated, and in whichi Figure 1 represents a side View of the improved engine, one of the admission-valves at the outer end of one of the cylinders and the common exhaust-valve being shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the engine. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view.

Similar characters of reference indicate cor- Eresponding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings, A A represent the two cylinders, both of which are arranged axially coincident, but opposite and separate from each other, united by the intermediate casing -G,'their outer ends a being closed,

j E represents the crank-shaft, having the double crank b b, to which connecting-rods are secured, which are also connected to the pistons J.

0 represents the bowed conduit, the end portions 0 c of which are connected with the outer ends of the cylinders A A outside of the piston, such conduit uniting the outer end pO1'tiOnS-.- 3f b he cylinders? plosi ontch'ann 7,

seat (1, the inwardly-opening valve f, andwith each of these valve-casings D outside of the valve is connected the gas-inlet conduit/3g both of these conduits having connected thereto the common supply-pipe g for the gas or vapor taken thcrethrongh from a suitable;

gas-supply receptacle or carburetenandeach valve-stem f has applied thereto in a usual manner a comparatively-light closing-spring, the reaction ofwhich maybe overcome by't-he suction exertedafter an explosi'omstroke p when the pistons move inwardly.

Erepresent-s thecasing'o'r inclosure formed as a part of or having connection with an in terxnediate part'of the common connect-tiny,"- conduit 0 for both the cylinders, said casing having therein thevalve-sea-t it, upon which closes the exhaust-valve 2', the valve st'em' '5 of which depends 'vertically'through wane yond the, guide i therefor and has'a t' its-"oxe tremi-ty the" shoulder if, between which and the base of the valve-casing E is the" spiral j, whichmaintai us the valve normal'ly' spring closed.

Upon the crank-shaft B, preferably loca'ted within the intermediate casing G,is the-pin ion or small spur gear whe'el' m, m'eshin'g'with which is a gear-wheel n of double its size, which is mounted upon a short stud-shafto,

which is rotatable in unison-with the," gear Y wheel n, and said stud-shaft has at its outer end, which is extended to the exterior ofthesaid intermediate casing G, the cam 10,, which has" one rotation toevery" two rotations of the crank-shaft and which canrea'chtimeit turns" exerts an e'nd'wise forcing action against the extremity of the stem of the exhaust-valve,

' I which is arranged in the path of" this cam,

whereby periodically and properly the exhaust-valve is positivelyand mechanically opened after each explosion-st'ro'ke of the sfmultaneously-operatin'g pistons.

V In the operation of the engine after-an ex:- plos'ion-stroke the opposite pistons move inwardly, causing by their suction the opening of the respectively-provided ad mission-valves f f for and at the outer ends of both thecyilast-entered gas in the ends of the cylinders a;

ind-ers, the dead gas by the Workingor explosion strokesof the piston having been driven outwardly beyond the admission-valves into the comm on cylinder-extensioncondu'it'G and in large part expelled therefrom throughthe gh then-opened exhaust-passage, and the next outward stroke of both pistons, which move oppositely from each other, compresses the and in the common conduit and cylinderextension, crowding any residue-of the dead gas which may have remained in the-intermediate part of' the said conduit 0 more closely toward the exhaust-valve, and after the, second outward piston-stroke which compi essesithe gas the latter is. e'xploded by the electric igniting devices (indicated at t) within the casings D D for the admissionvalv'es, such igniting devices being of a comg-men-and-well-known form; andv constituting "no/part of the present ihve'n'tion, and inasmuch as the pistons in their outwardworkomingifreshcharge. 7 There is neither any ressure' above atmospheric pressure in the bo'wed cond'ui't E atthe end of the exhausttroke of the pistons, nor'is'theexhaust-valve eft open for the slightest instant after the pistons have start ed inward ly'on their sucion-strokes next following the expulsion of he dead gas.

It will he understood that in this en gine the exhaust-valve at'the moment of explosion is surrounded by the undischarged residue'of had gasfromthe-previousexplosion, wherei 't'i's protected from the [ire occurring on ach'side'ofit bythe-ignition of thepure gas, Hand the exhaust -valve is thus maintained "much cooler, preventing overheating, which s=of-f' common occurrence in the ordinary forms f' gas=engines; and it is understood that the niet va'lves are-not subject to the overheat- I ii1'g, although directl y'in contact with the "'lji'l'a'arme at? each explosion, as they arecooled at ie'v'eryother' stroke byth'e incoming chargeof gjjcnol air and gas. Having thus described my invention, what if claim, and desire to secure by Letters P'ati t f "j 1*. In agas-engine, in combination, the'two fc hinders, oppositely arranged and having it eir outer ends closed, and having pistous therein, thecommon-crankshaft located beitween the-cylinders with which both pistons 23; are connected, the'com-m'on'c'onduit'connected gwithi the outer ends of both cylinders, and

iii

jonecyiinder to theother, a separate admisjsion-inlet connected with the" outer end of i each cylinder, and a valve for each of. said 1; inlets; a; common exhaust-passage and an ex- 'ust-vaiveprovided in an intermediatepart 'f' saidcommon:cylinder-connecting conduit, ,Eand' an exhaust-valveoperating mechanism, substa'ntiarl-l'y'asand for-the purpose set forth.

yiinde-rs, oppositely arranged and having I he'ir outer'ends closed, -a nd having pistons itherein, the common crankshaft located between" the cylinders with which both pistons are connected, the common conduit connected iiih g stroke drive the dead gas, as described,

nit'E'andarer not mixed with the next in-,

constituting an always-open passage from the 2. Inga gas=engine, incombination, the two cad gas not discharged-out of the engine are with the outer endsof both cylinders, and

constituting an always-open passage from the one cylinderto the other, a valve-casing provided and in wardly epening into the outer end of each cylinder and constructed with a valvea seat,and an admission-valve provided tenor? mally cleseupon each valve-seat, a gas-inlet condnitconnected with each valve-casing, a

common exheustpassage and enexhanst; 1c valveprovided in an intermediate part of said 1 A. CAMPBELL.

commoncylinderconnecting conduit, and an exhaust-vaIve-operating mechanism ,substantially as and for the purpose set forth. q

i Signed by ine atSpringfield,Massachusetts,

this 10th day of May, 1899,

eh i i HINSDALE SMITH, j Witnesses:

WM; S. BELLOWS, 

